Ile d'Ambre

Ile d'Ambre lies in the shallow lagoon off the northeast coast, an uninhabited island fringed with mangroves and cut by inlets narrow enough to paddle into, which is why the standard way to visit is by kayak from Poudre d'Or or Grand Gaube rather than by motor boat. Guided paddles run through the mangrove channels and around the shore, with stops to walk inland through scrub and to swim. The Saint-Geran, the ship whose 1744 wreck off this coast became the basis of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's novel Paul et Virginie, went down nearby, and a monument at Poudre d'Or marks the story. The island is a conservation area with restoration work on native plants.

The landscape

• Mangrove channels - the narrow inlets paddled by kayak.
• The lagoon crossing - the shallow water between coast and island.
• Island scrub - the interior walked from the landing points.
• The Saint-Geran association - the wreck story marked on the mainland.

When to go

May to December for calm paddling conditions. Mornings are best before the wind rises. The northeast coast catches the trade wind, so afternoons can be choppy in the open lagoon.

Good to know

The visit is a guided kayak trip, which demands some fitness and takes two to three hours on the water. Mosquitoes in the mangroves are persistent. There are no facilities on the island. Trips cancel in wind.

Nearby

Grand Gaube lies west; Poudre d'Or is the other departure point.

Key facts